Descriptive Finding Guide for Darline "Dottie" Sanders Personal Papers
SDASM.SC.10209
AR
San Diego Air and Space Museum Library and Archives
2018
2001 Pan American Plaza, Balboa Park
San Diego 92101
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
San Diego Air and Space Museum Library and Archives
Title: Darline "Dottie" Sanders Personal Papers
Identifier/Call Number: SDASM.SC.10209
Physical Description:
.3 Cubic Feet
The collection includes correspondence, information and documents on air races in which she participated, and cover the period
1954-1957. There are also a number of photographs, which date from 1955-1967.
The collection is stored in one 10" x 5" x 10-1/2" archival box. The collection includes correspondence, information and documents
on air races in which she participated, and cover the period 1954-1957. There are also a number of photographs, which date
from 1955-1967.
The collection is stored in one 10" x 5" x 10-1/2" archival box.
Date (bulk): bulk
Abstract: Darline "Dottie" Sanders was born in 1918 in Buffalo, NY, and lived Lemon Grove, CA. She earned her private pilot license
on May 1, 1949. She and her husband owned a two-place Cessna, Model 140A, 1950 model. She became a member of the San Diego
chapter of "The Ninety-Nines" in 1949 and served as secretary, vice-chairman, and chairman of that chapter. In 1961 she formed,
and was the first chairman of, the El Cajon Valley Chapter of 99s.
Physical Description: The collection is stored in one 10" x 5" x 10-1/2" archival box. The collection includes correspondence, information and documents
on air races in which she participated, and cover the period 1954-1957. There are also a number of photographs, which date
from 1955-1967.
Biographical / Historical
Darline "Dottie" Sanders was born in 1918 in Buffalo, NY, and lived Lemon Grove, CA. She earned her private pilot license
on May 1, 1949. She and her husband owned a two-place Cessna, Model 140A, 1950 model. She became a member of the San Diego
chapter of "The Ninety-Nines" in 1949 and served as secretary, vice-chairman, and chairman of that chapter. In 1961 she formed,
and was the first chairman of, the El Cajon Valley Chapter of 99s. She also served as governor of the Southwest Section and
as International membership chairman, and attended many Southwest Section meetings and International Conventions.
She flew the All-Women Transcontinental Women Races, also known as the Powder Puff Derby, 20 times from 1950-72 as a pilot
seven of those years and the remaining as a co-pilot. She placed in the top 10 four times, second in 1971, and first in 1972.
As co-pilot she also flew in the Angel Derby, the Intercontinental Air Race, the Palms to Pines Race, and the Bahamas Treasure
Hunt. She was a member of the Pacific Air Race board of directors, raced in it as both pilot and co-pilot, and also served
as its treasurer and chief timer. She represented the El Cajon Valley Chapter on the aviation committee of the El Cajon Chamber
of Commerce from 1964 until 1992, and was an original member of the San Diego Aerospace Museum (now the San Diego Air and
Space Museum).
She was awarded the Gillespie Field Achievement Award in 1978 for her service to that airport and was inducted in the International
Forest of Friendship in 1985. The 99s San Diego Chapter awards an annual scholarship in her honor, the Dottie Sanders Memorial
Flight Scholarship. The scholarship may be used to fund training or flight instructor certificates of female pilots who reside
in San Diego, Riverside, Orange, and Imperial counties. She passed away in 1999.
Conditions Governing Access
Open to research, some restrictions may apply.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The collection was donated to SDASM.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Ninety-Nines (Organization)
Powder Puff Derby
Gillespie Field (El Cajon, Calif. : Airport)
Sanders, Darline "Dottie"
Folder 1 -- Correspondence, 1956 - 1957
Physical Description: 1. Letters from Mrs. Sanders, primarily to her husband, about her air races. 2. Miscellaneous cards and postcards.
Folder 2 -- Chicken of the Sea Sponsor Documents & Photographs 1950
Physical Description: Press releases for Chicken of the Sea entry in the 4th Annual All-Women's Transcontinental Air Race (AWTAR), June 11, 1950.
Folder 3 -- Piggly Wiggly Super-Market Race Ads, 1953
Physical Description: Piggly Wiggly newspaper ads for sponsored entry in AWTAR race, July 3, 1953.
Folder 4 -- Sponsorship in AWTAR Air Race, 1954
Folder 5 -- AWTAR Powder Puff Derby, July 2-6, 1955
Folder 6 -- San Diego Junior Chamber of Commerce Air Games, November 10-15, 1955
Folder 7 -- AWTAR Air Races, July 7-12, 1956
Folder 8 -- AWTAR Air Races, July 6-10, 1957
SERIES IV: Newspaper Clippings
Folder 10 -- AWTAR Newspaper Clippings, 1955
Folder 11 -- AWTAR Newspaper Clippings, 1956
Folder 12 -- Miscellaneous Newspaper Clippings, 1956 - 1957
Folder 13 -- General Aviation Articles, 1955 - 1956
Folder 14 -- Photographs
Physical Description: 1. Publicity photographs of pilot and co-pilot with Chicken of the Sea airplane entry. 2. Photograph of Members of 99s Southwestern
Sectional Spring Meeting, May 26-27, 1956. 3. Alsynite Sponsor Photographs, 1955. 4. Photograph of Aileen Saunders and Dottie
Sanders, 1957. 5. Miscellaneous Photographs, 1966 - 1967